Always call 112 in an emergency.

Get healthcare without a personal identification number

The Swedish healthcare system has different rules if both of the following apply to you:

  • you do not have a Swedish personal identification number (personnummer)

  • you are not registered in Sweden.

Please note that people seeking asylum in Sweden always have the right to emergency healthcare, dental care and other urgent treatment.

How Sweden’s healthcare system works

The Swedish healthcare system is run on a regional level. There are 21 regions in Sweden.

If you’re ill or hurt and it’s not an emergency, you’ll generally need to visit a clinic or contact 1177 who can help you and guide you to the right caregiver. If it’s an emergency, call 112 immediately.

You have the right to understand all information about your health and treatment. This also includes the details of your appointment. If you do not speak Swedish, you can ask for an interpreter. This is free of charge. Please tell the clinic if you need an interpreter when you book your appointment.

Healthcare for children under 18

All children under 18 years old have the same rights to healthcare and dental care in Sweden. This includes children registered in Sweden, children seeking asylum and children who live in hiding. Children under 18 also have the right to certain vaccinations.

Please note that this does not apply to children who are only visiting Sweden.

Most healthcare is free of charge for children under 18 years old, but this can vary between regions. Children never have to pay for prescription medication.

Healthcare for adults over 18

Adults over the age of 18 can only get full, subsidised healthcare and dental care if they are registered in Sweden or citizens of another EU/EES country.If you are an EU citizen, you can apply for a free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This means that you pay the same fees for medically necessary healthcare as people who are registered in Sweden. You can order this card in your home country.

If you are from a Nordic country (Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Greenland, Faroe Islands, or Åland), you only need to provide your address and show a valid form of identification. You pay the standard fees for medically necessary healthcare.

Medically necessary healthcare is care that can’t wait until you’re able to get care in your home country. The doctor who sees you will decide if your care is considered medically necessary. This means that if you live outside of Sweden, you might have to pay a fee of 595 SEK for a video call with Kry. Please note that we can’t help you with prescriptions or referrals if you live outside of Sweden.

If you come from outside the EU, you must pay for all healthcare yourself.

If you are seeking asylum, you have the right to the following kinds of healthcare in all regions:

  • emergency healthcare

  • emergency dental care

  • care during pregnancy and childbirth

  • abortion services

  • advice on contraception

  • full medical examinations

  • healthcare for infectious diseases.

You also have the right to prescription medications for the above kinds of healthcare.

You can find more information about the right to healthcare for asylum seekers on the website of the National Health and Welfare Agency (Socialstyrelse, in Swedish).

Regional differences

Regions can choose to offer people seeking asylum more healthcare than the legal minimum. Many regions have their own rules to decide what kinds of healthcare people seeking asylum can access. Contact the region you live in for more information.

Common questions